AVIAN INFLUENZA, HUMAN (61): INDONESIA (WEST JAVA) FATAL, CHILD

Date: Fri 14 Dec 2012

Source: Indonesian Ministry of Health press release, via Flutrackers [machine transl., abridged, edited]

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?p=477291#post477291





Report of 192nd Case of Bird Flu


--------------------------------


The Ministry of Health, the Directorate General of Disease Control, and the Environmental Health [Service] announced that a new case of H5N1 [avian influenza] has been confirmed by the Center for Basic Biomedical and Health Technologies, Balitbangkes.



The case is a 4-year-old male, a resident of Kampung Nagreg, Gorowong Village, District Parung Panjang, Bogor regency, West Java. The child exhibited symptoms of fever on 20 Nov 2012, and on 1 Dec 2012 the case was moved to Pustu. On 4 Dec 2012 there was no change in the condition of the case when seen by a private doctor. On the morning of 5 Dec 2012 the case went to a health centre and in the afternoon was referred to the Private RSIA for hospitalization. On 6 Dec 2012 the case was referred to the Tangerang District Hospital because of onset of fever, cough, and shortness of breath. The condition of the patient worsened and the child eventually died at 23:40hr.



Epidemiological investigations have been conducted by the hospital and the other agencies involved including a possible risk factor of direct contact with poultry carcasses, including possible exposure to entog (ducks) in the neighborhood.



With inclusion of this case, the cumulative number of bird flu cases in Indonesia since 2005 until this new report is 192 cases with 160 deaths. Director General of Disease Control and Environmental Health, Prof. Dr.Tjandra Yoga Aditama as the focal point of the International Health Regulations (IHR), has reported the case to the World Health Organisation (WHO).



This information is released by Center for Public Communication, Secretariat General of the Ministry of Health.



--

Communicated by:

Gert van der Hoek 

Senior Moderator, FluTrackers.com

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/index.php

[ProMED-mail thanks Gert van Hoek for sending and interpreting this report. This is the 1st confirmed human case of avian A/(H5N1) influenza virus infection in Indonesia since 30 Jul 2012. That case was a 37-year-old male from Yogyakarta province. He developed fever on 24 Jul 2012, was hospitalized on 27 Jul 2012 and died on 30 Jul 2012. 



There have been no other reports of human cases from elsewhere during this period. Official confirmation by the WHO is awaited. The global total of human cases now becomes 609 with 359 fatalities. 

http://www.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=20121214.1452311

Indo. Dr Nidom says not a mutation, but imports

The entry of Avian Influenza Virus Attack Duck For Deliberate

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The entry of the H5N1 bird flu virus that destroyed most recent subclade over 320,000 ducks in Java due to the element of intent. Pretext to gene mutations irrational because it occurred in a short time leap subclade.

Chairman Avian Research Center, Airlangga University Chairil A Nidom said on Saturday (15/12) when contacted in East Java. According to Nidom, if a gene mutation, is not possible in a too short a change subclade.

In Indonesia, said Nidom, three subclade bird flu virus that subclade 2.1.1; 2.1.2 and 2.1.3. "If a gene mutation is most likely to be 2.1.1.1 or 2.1.2.1 subcladenya or 2.1.3.1. Become subclade 2.3.2 If this has happened leaps and highly unlikely," he said.

Therefore, Nidom can ensure that the entry of bird flu virus subclade 2.3.2 due to deliberate. "Could be in the form of imports of duck and duck products are contaminated with the virus, or the inclusion and use of the H5N1 virus vaccination with existing subclade in Indonesia but subclade 2.3.2 contaminated," he explained.  

..FINALLY..

http://bisniskeuangan.kompas.com/read/2012/12/15/0742140/Masuknya.Virus.Flu.Burung.yang.Menyerang.Bebek.Karena.Kesengajaan

South Lampung Anticipation Spread of Bird Flu

Saturday, December 15, 2012, 7:25 pm

http://www.republika.co.id/berita/nasional/daerah/12/12/15/mf1qiv-lampung-selatan-antisipasi-penyebaran-flu-burung

Compensation will be provided to farmers if bird flu declared a national disaster

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, Jakarta - Compensation will be provided to farmers affected by depopulation if the bird flu that attacked thousands of ducks in some areas declared a national disaster. Ministry of Agriculture, Suswono, said there is still a reserve fund that can be used to pay the compensation.

 "If it's in the category of disaster, we've got a reserve fund," he said at Red Top, Pecenongan, Friday (14/12). Meanwhile, Deputy Trade Minister Bayu Krisnamurthi said the Ministry of Trade was to coordinate with the national committee prevention of zoonotic , the diseases that come from animals.

 This effort is conducted to measure the level of danger from this plague. Ministry of Trade will do pengawasaan and trade restrictions if the epidemic is increasingly getting bigger."When outbreaks of large, Kemendag duty to supervise trade, trade restrictions or conduct trade ban was decided by the condition of the disease, "said Wakemendag in a separate place on Friday (14/12). 

The government continues to investigate to determine whether the infected birds or just a local poultry importation. The government will hold a World Heath Organization (WHO) and the Food Agriculturure Organization (FAO) to find a solution. Avian flu that strikes thousands of ducks in East Java a few weeks ago came from H5NI virus classified as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPA) has Clade 2.3. 2 .

 This virus causes morbidity and mortality rate is quite high in ducks. Based on data Bbvet Wates and reports of deaths in the sample introduction ducks data showed an average mortality of ducks was 39.9 percent with the lowest percentage of 8.3 percent, and the highest mortality reached 100.0 percent.

 This is the same virus with a different kind endemic in 2003, ie 2.1 sub Clade Clade 2.1.3 that attack chickens and cause death in humans. Until now there has been found to attack this virus in humans. Related to this outbreak, the Ministry of Agriculture is still processing Permentan regarding the importation of poultry products and feed from Australia.  http://www.republika.co.id/berita/nasional/umum/12/12/14/mf0t40-ada-cadangan-dana-untuk-kompensasi-flu-burung

Quarantine on the "bird flu" in the Kuban withdraw December 24

 12.14.2012 / 66

In late November, Rosselkhoznadzor registered deaths of hundreds of birds in the area of ​​estuaries Kiziltash (Temryuk district and district Anapa).

MOSCOW, Dec 14 - RIA Novosti, Tatyana Kuznetsova. authorities of the Krasnodar region on December 24 to remove declared the outbreak of "bird flu" quarantine in the two areas was recorded mass death of birds, said on Friday the district administration Rosselkhoznadzor.

In late November, Rosselkhoznadzor registered deaths of hundreds of birds in the area of estuaries Kiziltash (Temryuk district and district Anapa). Original authors have preliminary diagnosis - "bird flu" (AH5). Later the authorities of the region reported that the birds fell from the influenza virus type H5N1. In Temryuk district and Anapa November 30 was a regime of emergency and quarantine. In total, according to the agency, in estuaries has been collected about four thousand dead birds .

"Restrictive measures (quarantine) in Kiziltash estuary due to the massive loss of wild birds will be lifted on December 24 decree of the head of administration of Krasnodar region in connection with the liquidation of bird flu disease in Temryuk and Anapa areas and the full range of activities in accordance with the rules against Avian Influenza, "- said in a statement.

According to authorities, new outbreaks of mass death of wild birds have been recorded. Meanwhile, in the region in coordination with prosecutors edges are checking large poultry farms and poultry farms.

РИА Новости http://ria.ru/science/20121214/914818105.html#ixzz2F4eFSwCM

ATTACK AI: Thousands of ducks in Karanganyar attacked AI

Sampling ducks in Karanganyar, Friday (12/14/2012).(Kurniawan / Jibi / Solopos)

Friday, December 14, 2012 18:27 PM 

Diseases of bird flu or avian influenza (AI) began attacking poultry in the district of Karanganyar entering this rainy season. Within one to two months, thousands of birds are reported type of duck or dead duck.

Mass of dead birds scattered in the district with 2,500 Jatipuro tail, tail Karangpandan 3000, Cork 100 individuals and 400 Mojogedang's tail.

Respond mass death of poultry, Agriculture Quarantine officer Class I Semarang perform sampling mucous Karangpandan poultry in the district on Friday (14/12/2012). The activity was carried out with accompanied by officers of Animal Health (Keswan) Department of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries (Disnakkan) Karanganyar.

Sampling was conducted at three different locations in the village Ngemplak and Dayu, Karangpandan. Furthermore, the mucous membranes of birds taken from the throat and rectum will be tested in the laboratory. The results of laboratory testing can be known fastest next week.

One field officer Keswan Disnakkan Karanganyar, Fatkhur Rakhman, explaining mass poultry deaths have occurred since about a month ago. In response to these conditions, the field officer Keswan Disnakkan specimen sampling has been done in the area of ​​poultry and Mojogedang Karangpandan, about three weeks ago.

The sample specimens were then sent to the Center for Veterinary (BBVet) at Wates, Jogjakarta, to be examined in the laboratory. As a result, three of the 15 samples of poultry specimens were taken at three different locations declared 
positive for AI virus.

"Today's decision by re-sample the mucous membrane of Agriculture Quarantine officer Semarang. The result is what we wait, the earliest next week could have known, "he said.

However Fatkhur Rakhman explains the symptoms of the disease in ducks sampled by officers BKP mucus membranes are similar to the symptoms of bird flu. As the mass death of birds, flatulence, cramps occur, tongue sticking out to the blindness of the eyes. One breeder duck origin Jatiharjo Hamlet, Dayu, Karangpandan, Sularmo, 45, said 200 young duck's death three months.

According to him, his ducks died because he could not eat after stricken with sudden blindness. As a result of that event Sularmo suffered losses of around 5 million. "I used to buy a duck while still small at a price of 10,000 per head. But when the four month-old ducks instead many are dead, there are 200's tail. And if at that time I was selling, the price of the ducks could reach 25,000, "he said sorry.

But lucky sudden blindness attacks do not happen to belong to the whole duck Sularmo. Today he still has a 300-duck.

http://www.solopos.com/2012/12/14/serangan-ai-ribuan-bebek-di-karanganyar-diserang-ai-358117

Indo-MOH confirms new case of bird flu

hattip to Dutchy

Report of 192nd Cases of Bird Flu

DECEMBER 14, 2012 | 3:56 PM

Ministry of Health, Directorate General of Disease Control and Environmental Health announced a new case of H5N1 has been confirmed by the Center for Basic Biomedical and Health Technologies, Balitbangkes.

Case on behalf of the IT (male, 4 years old) residents of Kampung Nagreg, Gorowong Village, District Parung Panjang, Bogor regency, West Java. Dated 30 November 2012 symptoms of fever, December 1, 2012 the case went to Pustu. Dated December 4, 2012 because there was no change in the case of seeing a private doctor, dated December 5, 2012 morning the case went to the health center and in the afternoon the case was referred to the Private RSIA for hospitalization. Dated December 6, 2012 the case was referred to the Tangerang District Hospital because of fever, cough, and shortness. The situation gets worse case and the case eventually died at 23:40 pm.

Epidemiological investigations have been conducted into the hospital, and the case surrounding the Integrated Team MoH and local health service, possible risk factors that come in direct contact with poultry carcasses (entog) in the neighborhood.

With the increase of these cases, the cumulative number of bird flu in Indonesia since 2005 until this news broadcast is 192 cases with 160 deaths.

Director General of Disease Control and Environmental Health, Prof. dr. Tjandra Yoga Aditama as the focal point of the International Health Regulations (IHR) has been informed about the case to the WHO.

This information is released by Center for Public Communication, Secretariat General of the Ministry of Health. For further information, please contact via telephone: (021) 52907416-9, Fax: (021) 52921669, Rapid Response Response Centre (PTRC): 500-567 and 081 281 562 620 (sms), or e-mail contacts @ depkes.go.id

http://sehatnegeriku.com/laporan-kasus-flu-burung-192/

Bird Flu Mutation Create Thousands Dead Ducks

Friday, December 14, 2012, 23:11 pm

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, YOGYAKARTA - As of September to December 2012, thousands of ducks have died from the H5N1 virus has mutated to clade 2.3.2. 

Duck carcasses scattered in Bantul, Kulonprogo, Sleman and Yogyakarta.

Unit Coordinator for Disease Control Avian Influenza (bird flu), or the Local Disease Control Centre ( LDCC) Department of Agriculture (Distan) DIY Tri Wahono onReuters, Friday (14/12) describes the many dead chicken. 

In fact, during this time people assume that ducks resistant to H5N1. However, since last September in the DIY begins mortality in ducks. When examined at the Veterinary Research Institute ( Balivet) Jakarta, was the cause of death of the ducks with H5N1 clade 2.3.2. Though usually occurring H5N1 virus in poultry with a variant of 3.2.1. 

Symptoms ducks affected with H5N1 clade 2.3.2 as MD ( Marek's disease ) in birds that rotated his neck, his eyes like cataracts and paralyzed on the third day. But usually when a bird hit MD after treatment can be cured. But the ducks were exposed to H5N1 clade 2.3.2 on the fourth day is usually instant death. 

Admittedly Tri, with clade 2.3.2 H5N1 more virulent than the H5N1 that has been happening in poultry. Therefore we need a new vaccination. If you use regular vaccinations, will not have a big impact because the virus is more virulent. 

'' My people expect the government to pursue a new vaccine to prevent the spread of H5N1 has mutated. Later than six months after entry of the clade 2.3.2 H5N1 vaccine is already available,'' said Tri  http://www.republika.co.id/berita/nasional/umum/12/12/14/mf13ns-mutasi-flu-burung-bikin-ribuan-itik-mati

Cases of Bird Flu, Bali Stop Meat Ducks from Outer Java

 Department of Animal Husbandry and Animal Health Bali ban duck meat imported from outside Java. The ban was imposed following a mass mortality in ducks in some parts of Java. Head of Department of Animal Husbandry and Animal Health Bali Province Putu Sumantra said the ban will be strengthened by the Governor Regulation. This prohibition also as part of an effort to anticipate the return of bird flu outbreak in Bali. "We do not know, in Java, that's how they keep ducks, we worry about the ducks that the suspect by people infected with bird flu in pieces, so we ask Do not include duck from Java "Putu Sumantra said Head of Livestock and Animal Health of Bali, Putu Sumantra recognize provincial government of Bali and Quarantine also continue to increase surveillance in Bali entrances to prevent smuggling of live poultry into Bali. Moreover, the current spread of bird flu in Bali under control.

http://www.kbr68h.com/berita/daerah/42467

Government Flu Threat Alert Ducks

Coordination performed to see outbreaks of the disease.

Friday, December 14, 2012, 23:08

 duck flu cases being endemic in Indonesia urged the government to immediately coordinate with the National Zoonosis Zoonosis is a disease transmitted from birds to humans.

"Coordination is done to see outbreaks of the disease," said Vice Minister of Commerce, Krisnamurthi, in his office, Jakarta, Friday, December 14, 2012.

He said the Ministry of Commerce will coordinate with the commission headed by Deputy Coordinating Ministry for People's Welfare. 

Coordination of the same, Bayu added, also conducted by the Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health Ministry of Livestock with FAO and WHO, to see a picture of the spread of flu that attacked ducks ducks in Indonesia.

"The Ministry of Commerce will conduct trading surveillance duck, duck restrict trade, even trade ban duck," he said.

Duck flu cases sticking to the media since the discovery of hundreds of ducks that died suddenly in the Jepara, Central Java, in December this year. Then, the local government encourages derah duck farmers to remain vigilant and wash hands after contact with pet birds.

However, Bayu admitted that for now, there is no human flu ducks. "No one got the flu ducks. Unlike bird flu has killed 150 people in five years," said Bayu.

Solo bird flu alert

Meanwhile, the government is increasingly aware of the threat Solo spread of avian influenza or bird flu. This is due to some areas that are around Solo from bird flu.

"We've done spraying disinfectant to a poultry market in Solo. This was done to anticipate the spread of bird flu virus," said the Head of the Department of Agriculture Solo, Ekayanti Weny to headline on Friday.

Spraying has been done regularly in recent weeks. In fact, in every market poultry deployed officers to monitor conditions contained in the poultry market. "In the poultry markets no supervisor on duty," he said.

Although no findings poultry bird flu, according to him, the spread of bird flu occurred in the transition seasons, the transition from the dry to the wet. "Hence, the present condition is alert to the threat of bird flu," said Weny.

Additionally, Weny claimed to have received a circular from the Central Java Provincial Government to do to prevent the spread of bird flu virus. Furthermore, circular disseminated in a number of districts in Solo. 

"The letter asking for disinfecting and vaccinating birds," he explained. 

Ebola Virus Uses a Protein Decoy to Subvert the Host Immune Response

 Ebola virus is the causative agent of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (EHF), a disease with up to 90 percent mortality. While human outbreaks of Ebola hemorrhagic fever have been confined to Africa, Ebola virus infections in bats, the presumed natural reservoir of the virus, have also been detected in Europe and Asia.

The high lethality of the disease, combined with its short incubation period and the lack of vaccines or effective treatments, makes Ebola virus a significant public health threat as well as a potentially devastating biological weapon. Efforts to develop a vaccine against Ebola virus have been met with limited success, and it is likely that the virus employs complex immune evasion mechanisms that present unique challenges for vaccine design. Understanding these evasion mechanisms is a critical first step in developing an effective vaccine.

In this study, the authors examined the role of a protein secreted in large quantities by Ebola virus-infected cells. The protein shares regions with a membrane protein that the virus expresses on its surface and uses to initiate the infection process. The authors studied antibodies generated by immunizing mice with the viral surface protein and/or the secreted protein. They determined that the secreted protein can selectively drive induction of antibody responses to itself and also compete for antibodies to the viral surface protein that would otherwise bind to and inactivate the virus.

"Our findings provide an explanation for the lack of protective antibodies against the viral surface protein in patients who have survived Ebola virus infection," says Dr. Chinglai Yang, assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at the Emory University School of Medicine. "We hypothesize that the secreted protein allows the virus to subvert the host antibody response in vivo, and that this may enable the virus to cause repeated or sustained infection in its natural reservoir."

The results suggest that immunity induced by a vaccine may need to reach a sufficient threshold to effectively neutralize the incoming virus to protect against Ebola virus infection. These findings raise new challenges for Ebola vaccine design, as vaccines will most likely have to be tailored to overcome or avoid the ability of the secreted decoy protein to interfere with host immune responses. Such approaches could enable the development of more efficacious vaccines to prevent Ebola virus infection.

Dec. 13, 2012 — In a study published today in the open access journal PLOS Pathogens, researchers at Emory University have discovered a potentially important mechanism by which the Ebola virus alters and evades the immune response of its infected host.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121213172300.htm

The Death of Duck Spreads

 - (Friday, 12/14/2012) Officers of Central Java convention of agricultural quarantine inspection on Friday afternoon in several duck farms in Bradford, following the increasingly widespread cases of sudden death of ducks in this region due to suspected bird flu. Until now, the last two weeks, the number of ducks that died suddenly Bradford allegedly region has reached tens of thousands.

This makes the mass death of duck breeders panic. Because they have not found a cure, let alone most of the ducks that died suddenly on average younger. Officers took samples of duck feathers and duck feces for materials research, so it can be determined whether the death of ducks from bird flu or other illness.

Currently farmers suffered considerable losses, and some have gone out of business. To anticipate the spread of the other ducks or humans, the farmers are required to burn or bury the carcasses of ducks with a minimum depth of half a meter.     

http://www.indosiar.com/fokus/kematian-itik-semakin-meluas_101686.html

or just throw them in the creek..or take them to market..

MASKS?..We don't need no steenkin masks.. gloves?..

VIDEO 

Government Prepares Bird Flu Compensation Fund

Friday, December 14, 2012, 15:06 pm

JAKARTA - Compensation will be provided to farmers affected by depopulation if the bird flu that attacked thousands of ducks in some areas declared a national disaster.

Agriculture Minister Suswono said there is still a reserve fund that can be used to pay the compensation. "If it's in the category of disaster, we've got a reserve fund," he said at Red Top, Jakarta, Friday (14/12).

Meanwhile, Deputy Trade Minister Bayu Krisnamurthi said the Ministry of Trade was to coordinate with the national committee control zoonoses, which are diseases of animal origin.

This effort is conducted to measure the level of danger from this plague. Ministry of Commerce will conduct pengawasaan and trade restrictions if the epidemic is increasingly getting bigger.

"If the outbreak is great, Kemendag duty to supervise trade, trade restrictions or conduct trade ban was decided by the condition of the disease, "said Wamendag in a separate place on Friday (14/12).

The government continues to investigate to determine whether the infected birds or just a local poultry importation. The government will hold a World Heath Organization(WHO) and the Food Agriculturure Organization (FAO) to find a solution.

Bird flu that attacked thousands of ducks in East Java a few weeks ago came from a virus belonging H5NI Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPA) has Clade 2.3.2. This virus causes morbidity and mortality rate is quite high in ducks.

Based on data Bbvet Wates and reports of deaths in the sample introduction ducks data showed the average mortality was 39.9% ducks with the lowest percentage of 8.3% and highest mortality reached 100.0%.

This is the same virus with different types being endemic in 2003, ie 2.1 sub Clade Clade 2.1.3 that attack chickens and cause death in humans.

Until now there has been found to attack this virus in humans. Related to this outbreak, the Ministry of Agriculture is still processing Permentan regarding the importation of poultry products and feed from Australia. 

http://www.republika.co.id/berita/nasional/umum/12/12/14/mf0h67-pemerintah-siapkan-dana-kompensasi-flu-burung

Breeder refuses culling within 1 Km of outbreaks

Breeder refused culling

By Nur Fitri Arifenie, Sandy Baskoro - Friday, December 14, 2012 | 6:06 pm

JAKARTA. The threat of the bird flu virus more real. The government recorded a virus of avian influenza (H5N1) has infected tens of thousands of ducks at least 19 regencies / cities in four provinces on the island of Java.

In order virulent virus is not widespread, the Ministry of Agriculture requested all relevant agencies in the area and carry out depopulation of poultry associations ducks are limited. Depopulation is reduced by culling poultry population living in the territory of the outbreak of the bird flu virus with a radius of 1 kilometer.

"If there are symptoms of bird flu, then clinically tested and proven, the depopulation should be done as soon as possible," said Pujiatmoko, Director of Animal Health Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health Ministry in Jakarta, Thursday (13/12).

But the government has not set up a compensation fund. To compensate, according Pujiatmoko, there needs status determination that the death of ducks caused by viruses including bird flu disaster.

Chairman of Local Poultry Farmers Association (Himpuli), Ade Meirizal Zulkarnain, expressly rejected the government's request for culling poultry in a radius of 1 km from the location of the bird flu. He says, depopulation activities without compensation is hurting farmers.

Ade concerned, without any compensation from the government, farmers prefer to sell or cut ducks potential bird flu rather than destroy it. If that happens, it is quite possible the spread of the bird flu virus more widespread duck. Instead of depopulation, Ade suggested that the government restructure its poultry. The trick, restructure the local poultry farmers. For example, during this diumbar duck, must be grounded. "Then, coaching traditional farmers into semi-intensive," said Ade.

As of December 12, 2012, said Pujiatmoko, ducks that died from bird flu in 19 districts / cities in Java. In Central Java, for example, mortality reached 61 459 duck tail of the population of 8.1 million. "This is a verified death from bird flu virus," said Pujiatmoko.

Himpuli recorded at least 350,000 ducks died of bird flu virus. Assuming a price of Rp 40,000 per tailed ducks, farmers could potentially lose up to Rp 14 billion.Losses could increase if dead birds are laying ducks that can cost Rp 200,000 per head. This loss certainly become swollen when the government forced depopulation without providing compensation.

As written KONTAN, in contrast to previous outbreaks of bird flu, bird flu virus that attacked ducks in a number of areas since the beginning of last December came from the type of virus clade 2.3.2 is fairly new type of virus. So far, the virus that infect poultry in Indonesia is a virus clade 2.1.

http://industri.kontan.co.id/news/peternak-itik-menolak-pemusnahan-unggas/2012/12/14

Behaviour of virus hints at pattern of spread

 

BY HELEN BRANSWELL, THE CANADIAN PRESS DECEMBER 13, 2012

 

 

A new study reveals that the new SARS-like virus which has been causing infections in the Middle East behaves unusually in laboratory testing.

The unexpected behaviour of the virus may help to explain the pattern of spread of the cases so far, says senior author Christian Drosten, a leading coronavirus expert.

In essence, the new coronavirus is promiscuous, a term the virologists who authored the study use to describe the fact that it will grow in a variety of different types of animal cells, including cells from people, pigs and several species of bats.

That is not true for other known coronaviruses, which typically only grow in cells from the species they infect, says Drosten, who is the director of the institute of virology at the University of Bonn Medical Center, in Bonn, Germany.

Dutch virologist Ron Fouchier agrees that the finding is surprising.

"This is certainly unusual for a (corona)virus to have such a broad cellular host range," says Fouchier, a senior scientist with Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam. Fouchier is also an author of the paper.

It is known to have infected at least nine people from April onward, with cases recorded in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Five of the infected people have died.  http://www.canada.com/Behaviour+virus+hints+pattern+spread/7695001/story.html

WHO's Dr. Margaret Chan to Speak on Containing Contagion in a Wired World

December 13th, 2012 by Farisa Khalid

One of the inevitable risks of globalization is the spread of infectious diseases across countries and borders. In 2003, an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) gripped Hong Kong and spread worldwide, killing 774 people. Epidemiologists traced the SARS coronavirus to Chinese bats, where the virus mutated, evolved and crossed the xenographic barrier onto human beings. In 2005, a strain of H5N1 avian influenza, affected a variety of fowl across Southeast Asia. That virus in turn mutated and crossed over onto human hosts at an alarming scale, causing near-hysteria over the Tamiflu vaccine and even inspiring a 2006 song from the rapper M.I.A, "Bird Flu," about the discontents of globalization.

Next Thursday, December 20, Asia Society Hong Kong Center welcomes Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization. Dr. Chan's talk, evocatively titled "Hot Spots in a Wired World," will address the dangers of infectious diseases in our increasingly interconnected environment. With the rise of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis and various adaptable and virulent pathogens from animal vectors, we might very well be in the post-antibiotic era. 

Steven Soderbergh's 2011 thrillerContagion depicted with brutal clarity the havoc and pandemonium a deadly zoonotic infection can cause. Science writer David Quammen, who gave a talk at Asia Society's center in Houston last month on his book Spillover, also addressed the urgent need to prepare for the spread of these diseases. It's easy to forget at times that the Ebola virus and AIDS both arose from animal hosts.

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control, the first key steps to curtailing a global pandemic are simple, straightforward health and hygiene measures that we might take for granted: washing our hands, food safety precautions, and being vigilant when we come into contact with certain animals. As more and more people travel, these measures will no longer be just a useful suggestion for our well-being, but a vital, unavoidable part of how we live our lives and ensure the health of those around us.

Video: Trailer for Steven Soderbergh's 2011 film Contagion (2 min., 29 sec.)

 http://asiasociety.org/blog/asia/whos-dr-margaret-chan-speak-containing-contagion-wired-world